Pop pixie Ellie Goulding named as first Eden Sessions headliner

Pop pixie Ellie Goulding has been named as the first headliner for the Eden Project’s 2014 Eden Sessions.

She will perform against the backdrop of Eden’s famous Biomes on Tuesday, July 8.

The BRIT-winning singer-songwriter released her debut studio album Lights in 2010 and followed it up with Halcyon in 2012.

Both albums peaked at number one in the UK album chart and went double-platinum. Last year, Halcyon was re-released with ten additional tracks as Halcyon Days. These included How Long Will I Love You?, which became last year’s BBC Children in Need single, and her first number one single, Burn, which has since racked up nearly 160 million views on YouTube.

Halcyon Days was at number one in the UK for two weeks earlier this month after nearly 70 weeks in the chart. The record is currently at number two, having been knocked off the top spot by Bruce Springsteen’s High Hopes.

Ellie has so far released five top-ten singles, including a cover of Elton John’s Your Song, and she featured on last year’s number four Calvin Harris single I Need Your Love, also a YouTube phenomenon with more than 130 million views.

She has toured with Katy Perry and performed at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as at the White House for the 2011 National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Her UK arena tour in March, which includes a date at London’s O2, is already sold out.

At this year’s BRIT Awards, Ellie has been nominated in the British Female Solo Artist category and twice in the British Single category (for both Burn and I Need Your Love). She has also been announced as one of the performers at the February 19 awards ceremony, alongside Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Arctic Monkeys and others.

Ellie’s trademark soprano vocals define her sound, which incorporates elements of folk, synthpop and electronica and shows off her talents as a multi-instrumentalist.

She joins a prestigious list of pop artists who have performed previously at the Eden Sessions, including Jessie J, Calvin Harris, Lily Allen, Labrinth and Example.

Rita Broe, Eden’s Marketing Director, said: “We’re very excited to be able to confirm Ellie Goulding as our first Sessions headliner of 2014. She has had incredible success since the release of her debut album and can now be counted among the UK’s brightest musical stars.

“Her debut number one single Burn and the Calvin Harris collaboration I Need Your Love were two of the defining summer tracks of last year with nearly 300 million YouTube views between them - the perfect centrepieces for what promises to be a classic Session.”.

Last year also saw the launch of Eden Sessions TV, a dedicated free-to-view online channel featuring regularly-updated videos of some of the gigs’ finest shows. The channel also live-streamed the second night of Jessie J’s sold-out double-header and has already had more than a million views since its launch.

The Eden Sessions Inside Track club returns for the 2014 season with members getting a guaranteed pair of tickets to each show. Inside Track memberships are available now and cost £15.

Tickets to the Ellie Goulding Eden Session cost £35 plus £5 booking fee and go on sale to Inside Track members today (Tuesday January 28), and on general sale at 4pm on Tuesday February 4.